Two arrested after death of Blackburn schoolgirl in M61 crash

An investigation was launched on Saturday after a Nisssan Qashqai, in which Sana Patel was a passenger, was involved in a collision with a Vauxhall Corsa on the M61.

The teenager, who was travelling with her mother and father, her two brothers, and her grandmother, suffered fatal injuries in the incident, between junctions six and eight.

Police initially reported that the driver and a passenger from the Corsa had left the scene.

It was later confirmed that a 23-year-old woman, from the Mirfield area of West Yorkshire, had been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

Police also said a 28-year-old Dewsbury man had been detained, on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and failing to stop at the scene of an accident.

A Lancashire Police spokesman said the man and woman had been released under investigation.

Tributes were later paid to Sana, a student at Tauheedul Islam Girls High School in Blackburn, by a family member.

He also confirmed that the other family members in the car had suffered minor injuries in the collision.

Supt Andy Cribbin, of Lancashire Police, said: "This was a tragic incident in which Sana Patel lost her life and our thoughts are very much with her family and friends at his unimaginably difficult time.

"We have now made two arrests but are very much still trying to establish what happened and are asking anybody who saw the collision or either vehicle in the moments before it happened to get in touch as soon as possible.

"We would also like to speak to anyone who was in the Corsa at the time and would urge them to make contact with us."

READ > Tributes as Blackburn schoolgirl, 13, dies in M61 horror smash

The motorway remained closed overnight, on Saturday and Sunday, while police attempted to piece together what had happened.

Anyone with information is asked to get in touch on 101, quoting log number 1817 of July 6.